View source for Mohamed Kallon

{{short description|Sierra Leonean footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Mohamed Kallon
| image = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1979|10|6}}<ref>{{cite web |title=FIFA Club World Championship Japan 2005 – Official Rosters |url=http://www.fifa.com/documents/tournaments/cwc/CWC_2005_sl-latest.xls |website=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |date=4 December 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051219093824/http://www.fifa.com/documents/tournaments/cwc/CWC_2005_sl-latest.xls |archive-date=19 December 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Kenema]], Sierra Leone
| height = 1.79 m<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asm-fc.com/fr/equipe-pro/effectif/2006-2007/ligue-1/joueurs/mohamed-kallon |title=Mohamed KALLON - Ligue 1 - 2006 / 2007 - Effectif - AS Monaco FC |access-date=3 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130703190017/http://www.asm-fc.com/fr/equipe-pro/effectif/2006-2007/ligue-1/joueurs/mohamed-kallon |archive-date=3 July 2013}}</ref>
| position = [[Striker (association football)|Striker]]
| currentclub = 
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = 
| years1 = 1993–1994
| clubs1 = [[Old Edwardians F.C.|Old Edwardians]]
| caps1 = 
| goals1 = 
| years2 = 1994–1995
| clubs2 = [[Tadamon Sour]]
| caps2 = 
| goals2 = 
| years3 = 1995
| clubs3 = [[Spånga IS|Spånga]]
| caps3 = 
| goals3 = 
| years4 = 1995–1999
| clubs4 = [[Inter Milan]]
| caps4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 1995–1997
| clubs5 = → [[FC Lugano|Lugano]] (loan)
| caps5 = 32
| goals5 = 6
| years6 = 1997
| clubs6 = → [[Bologna FC 1909|Bologna]] (loan)
| caps6 = 2
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 1997–1998
| clubs7 = → [[Genoa CFC|Genoa]] (loan)
| caps7 = 26
| goals7 = 10
| years8 = 1998–1999
| clubs8 = → [[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]] (loan)
| caps8 = 26
| goals8 = 6
| years9 = 1999–2000
| clubs9 = [[Reggina Calcio|Reggina]]
| caps9 = 30
| goals9 = 11
| years10 = 2000–2001
| clubs10 = [[Vicenza Calcio|Vicenza]]
| caps10 = 25
| goals10 = 8
| years11 = 2001–2004
| clubs11 = [[Inter Milan]]
| caps11 = 43
| goals11 = 14
| years12 = 2004–2007
| clubs12 = [[AS Monaco FC|Monaco]]
| caps12 = 48
| goals12 = 13
| years13 = 2005–2006
| clubs13 = → [[Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah)|Al-Ittihad]] (loan)
| caps13 = 18
| goals13 = 11
| years14 = 2008
| clubs14 = [[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]]
| caps14 = 11
| goals14 = 3
| years15 = 2008–2009
| clubs15 = [[Al-Shaab CSC|Al-Shaab]]
| caps15 = 
| goals15 = 
| years16 = 2009–2010
| clubs16 = [[F.C. Kallon|Kallon]]
| caps16 = 
| goals16 = 
| years17 = 2010
| clubs17 = [[Shaanxi Zhongjian Chanba F.C.|Shaanxi Chanba]]
| caps17 = 21
| goals17 = 7
| years18 = 2011
| clubs18 = [[Chirag United Club Kerala|Viva Kerala]]
| caps18 = 
| goals18 = 
| years19 = 2012–2014
| clubs19 = [[F.C. Kallon|Kallon]]
| caps19 = 
| goals19 = 
| totalcaps = 282
| totalgoals = 89
| nationalyears1 = 1995–2012
| nationalteam1 = [[Sierra Leone national football team|Sierra Leone]]
| nationalcaps1 = 40
| nationalgoals1 = 7
}}
'''Mohamed Kallon''' [[Order of the Rokel|MOR]] (born 6 October 1979) is a Sierra Leonean [[association football|football]] manager and former player who is the manager of the [[Sierra Leone national football team]].<ref name="SLEx">{{Cite web |url=http://sierraexpressmedia.com/?p=56414 |title=President Koroma Decorates Sierra Leone Football Legend |publisher=Sierra Express Media |website=sierraexpressmedia.com |language=en-US |access-date=2 March 2019 |archive-date=2 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302090505/http://sierraexpressmedia.com/?p=56414 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was a striker and played for Inter Milan from 2001 to 2004, competing for spots with players such as [[Christian Vieri]], [[Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)|Ronaldo]], [[Álvaro Recoba]], [[Adriano Leite Ribeiro|Adriano]], [[Hakan Şükür]] and [[Nicola Ventola]]. He is widely considered the most famous footballer from Sierra Leone.<ref name="SLEx" /> 

Before playing for Inter, Kallon had one-year stints at Serie B club Genoa, and the Serie A clubs Bologna, Cagliari, Reggina and Vicenza. After leaving Inter in 2004, Kallon played at Monaco for three years. He subsequently had short stints in Greece, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and China.

He made 39 appearances for the [[Sierra Leone national football team|Sierra Leone national team]] during his career. Kallon is the younger brother of former Sierra Leonean international footballers [[Kemokai Kallon]] and [[Musa Kallon]].

==Early life==
Kallon was born on 6 October 1979 in [[Kenema]], Sierra Leone. Kallon is the younger brother to former Sierra Leone international footballers [[Kemokai Kallon]] and [[Musa Kallon]]. Kallon attended primary school in Kenema and completed his secondary education at St. Edwards Secondary School in [[Freetown]].

During his early international career for Sierra Leone, Kallon was given the [[nickname]] '''Small Kallon''' by Sierra Leonean football [[Fan (person)|fans]] to distinguish him from his two elder brothers who also then played in the Sierra Leone national team.

==Club career==
===Early career===
After he completed his form three levels of education ([[grade 9]] in the [[U.S.]]) from St. Edwards Secondary School in [[Freetown]], Kallon signed with the local club, [[Old Edwardians F.C.|Old Edwardians]] of the [[Sierra Leone National Premier League]]. During the 1993–94 season, he struck fifteen goals in 24 league games for Old Edwardians and became the youngest player to ever play and score in [[Sierra Leone National Premier League]].{{cn|date=March 2025}}

After the 1993–94 season, Kallon left Old Edwardians and signed for Lebanese club [[Tadamon Sour]]. Kallon is indeed spotted by Ali Abdullah, while playing a game with friends, on a beach in Freetown. Son of a Lebanese diplomat living in Sierra Leone - Lebanon then already had many businessmen in West Africa - Abdullah praised Kallon's qualities to several relatives, and managed to obtain several trials for him in Lebanon.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Eager to discover foreign countries, and pushed by his father, Kallon accepts the offer and travels with Ali Abdullah, only 15 years old. First on the side of Ajman, where the test turns out to be inconclusive, before finally catching the eye of the staff of Tadamon Sour, the club from the city of Tire. Kallon will thus spend the 1994–95 season there, scoring 15 goals in 24 games, despite six difficult first months, due in particular to the cold Lebanese winter.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

He spent one season with [[Spånga IS|Spånga]] in Stockholm, Sweden. He was then signed by [[Inter Milan]].<ref>{{cite web|title=MOHAMMED KALLON|url=http://www.inter.it/it/speciali/kallon/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010703085216/http://www.inter.it/it/speciali/kallon/|archive-date=3 July 2001|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=Internazionale|language=it}}</ref> He was then loaned to [[Swiss Super League]] club [[AC Lugano]], Serie A club [[Bologna FC 1909|Bologna]] and [[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]], as well as Serie B club [[Genoa CFC|Genoa]]. He was farmed to [[Reggina Calcio|Reggina]] and [[Vicenza Calcio|Vicenza]] in a [[Co-ownership (football)|co-ownership]] deal<ref>{{cite news|date=20 June 2000|title=Doppio colpo del Vicenza: presi Kallon e Tomas|language=it|work=La Gazzetta dello Sport|url=http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2000/giugno/20/Doppio_colpo_del_Vicenza_presi_ga_0_00062015728.shtml|access-date=27 February 2014|archive-date=3 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303195820/http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2000/giugno/20/Doppio_colpo_del_Vicenza_presi_ga_0_00062015728.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> for an undisclosed fee and 9,000 billion [[Italian lira|lire]] respectively (€4,648,112).<ref>FC Internazionale Milano SpA ''bilancio'' (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2001, [http://www.registroimprese.it PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911194442/https://www.registroimprese.it/ |date=11 September 2018 }} {{in lang|it}}</ref> He played with [[Cristiano Zanetti]] at Cagliari, whom he later worked with again at Inter Milan.

===Inter Milan===

====2001–02====
After the abolition of the non-EU quota for each team halfway through the [[2000–01 Serie A|2000–01 season]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=ita/news/newsid=28321.html|title=Italians bar non-EU imports|date=17 July 2002|access-date=9 March 2010|publisher=[[UEFA]]|archive-date=9 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109195657/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=ita/news/newsid=28321.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kallon returned to Italian club [[Inter Milan]] before the start of the [[2001–02 Serie A|2001–02 season]].,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?L=en&N=708|title=JOINT CONTRACTS: KALLON AND ZANETTI BACK TO INTER|date=28 June 2001|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=Internazionale|archive-date=3 August 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803185214/http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?L=en&N=708|url-status=dead}}</ref> for a reported 8,500 billion lire transfer fee (€4,389,884).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2001/giugno/29/Campbell_sceglie_Inter_ga_0_0106295713.shtml|title=Campbell sceglie l' Inter|date=29 June 2001|access-date=27 February 2014|work=La Gazzetta dello Sport|language=it|archive-date=1 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101162849/http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2001/giugno/29/Campbell_sceglie_Inter_ga_0_0106295713.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> With [[Christian Vieri]], [[Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)|Ronaldo]], [[Álvaro Recoba]], [[Adriano Leite Ribeiro|Adriano]], [[Hakan Şükür]] and [[Nicola Ventola]] also in the side, Kallon was originally a third or fourth choice striker. But injuries to Ronaldo and Recoba meant that Kallon played 29 Serie A matches, scoring nine goals and becoming the team's second highest scorer of the 2001–02 Serie A season, behind Vieri, as the club narrowly missed out on the league title, finishing in third place, also reaching the semi-finals of the [[2001–02 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]].

====2002–03====
He played nine times scoring five goals in Serie A in [[2002–03 Serie A|2002–03]] season due to injuries in August<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?L=en&N=4364|title=SECOND DEGREE TENDON INJURY FOR KALLON|date=19 August 2002|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=Internazionale|archive-date=3 August 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803100510/http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?L=en&N=4364|url-status=dead}}</ref> and February, as the team managed a second-place finish in the league.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?L=en&N=7639|title=INTER CHIEF OF MEDICAL STAFF ANALYSES INJURIES TO DALMAT, KALLON AND MORFEO|date=27 February 2003|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=Internazionale|archive-date=2 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002232841/http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?L=en&N=7639|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kallon returned to the side in May after [[Gabriel Batistuta]] was injured in April. He also played both legs of the [[2002–03 UEFA Champions League]] semi-final against [[AC Milan]] as Batistuta was unable to register. He played in both games as a second-half substitute, for [[Álvaro Recoba]] and [[Hernán Crespo]] respectively.

====2003–04====
Kallon tested positive for the banned substance [[nandrolone]] after the [[Serie A]] match against [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]] on 27 September 2003<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3205113.stm|title=Kallon fails drugs test|date=22 October 2003|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=3 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903213553/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3205113.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> and was banned from football for eight months. Kallon then struggled to get into the starting eleven during the [[2003–04 Serie A|2003–04 season]], primarily due to the rise of young [[Nigerian]] striker [[Obafemi Martins]] and the return of Brazilian ace [[Adriano Leite Ribeiro|Adriano]].<ref>{{in lang|it}} [http://www.inter.it/it/speciali/kallon/ Biography from inter.it] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010703085216/http://www.inter.it/it/speciali/kallon/ |date=3 July 2001 }}</ref>

===Monaco===
Kallon signed a four-year contract with Monégasque club [[AS Monaco FC|Monaco]] before the start of the 2004–05 season, as the [[2003–04 UEFA Champions League|UEFA Champions League]] runners-up had lost [[Dado Pršo]] and [[Fernando Morientes]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.asm-fc.com/article.aspx?id=366 |title=KALLON Monégasque |date=21 July 2004 |access-date=10 August 2009 |publisher=AS Monaco FC |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707181252/http://www.asm-fc.com/article.aspx?id=366 |archive-date=7 July 2011}}</ref> He was impressive during his first season at Monaco, but quickly fell out with French manager [[Didier Deschamps]], and was relegated to the bench in March 2005.

He moved on loan to Saudi club [[Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah)|Al-Ittihad]] on 29 July 2005.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.asm-fc.com/article.aspx?id=935 |title=Mohamed Kallon prêté à AL ITTHIAD |date=29 July 2005 |access-date=10 August 2009 |publisher=AS Monaco FC |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726012329/http://www.asm-fc.com/article.aspx?id=935 |archive-date=26 July 2011}}</ref> He helped the team win the [[2005 AFC Champions League]], leading the competition with six goals scored, including goals in each legs of the semi-final and final respectively. He also played at the [[2005 FIFA Club World Championship]] with Al-Ittihad, before returning to Monaco in 2006.

He played 12 [[Ligue 1]] matches in his last full season with Monaco during the [[2006–07 Ligue 1|2006–07]] campaign. He played his last match in league play on 11 August 2007 against [[FC Lorient|Lorient]], the second match of the season, before he was released by Monaco. He underwent a trial with [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] in September 2007,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/6982179.stm|title=Blues choose not to sign Kallon|date=12 September 2007|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=13 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113063034/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/6982179.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> after previously being linked with [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] in July.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/6287398.stm|title=Kallon confirms Derby approach|date=10 July 2007|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=8 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008133744/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/6287398.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Kallon failed to qualify for a work permit in England, as [[Sierra Leone national football team|Sierra Leone]] ranked 79th in the [[FIFA World Rankings]] in September 1997, but the requirement was above 70th for non-EU internationals. In November 2007, he signed a pre-contract with [[Al Hilal SFC|Al Hilal]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7101709.stm|title=Kallon signs for Saudi's Al Hilal|date=17 November 2007|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=23 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123134752/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7101709.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> but this later collapsed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7116683.stm|title=Kallon's Saudi deal collapses|date=28 November 2007|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=30 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130104600/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7116683.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===AEK Athens===
Kallon signed a six-month contract with Greek club [[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]] on 29 January 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aekfc.gr/index.asp?a_id=305&n_id=3869|title=AEK FC signs Mohamed Kallon|date=29 January 2008|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=AEK FC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620020341/http://www.aekfc.gr/index.asp?a_id=305&n_id=3869|archive-date=20 June 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> He played for the capital club in the [[UEFA Cup 2007–08]] round of 32 against [[Getafe CF|Getafe]], but AEK lost 4–1 on aggregate, with no goals from Kallon. He also played in the [[Super League Greece 2007–08|Super League Greece playoffs]] to determine qualification to European competition. He scored once in his three appearances, and AEK finished second to qualify for [[UEFA Cup 2008–09|the following year's UEFA Cup]].<ref>{{in lang|fr}} [http://www.asm-foot.mc/joueur.aspx?saison=5&joueur=76&equipe=1 Profile on AS Monaco's website]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Greek fans remember him especially for an excellent goal against [[PAOK FC|PAOK]] in a 4–0 win, when he scored with a chip shot outside the box.

===Al-Shaab===
In August 2008, Kallon signed with [[UAE Pro League]] club [[Al-Shaab CSC|Al-Shaab]] for the [[2008–09 UAE Pro League|2008–09 season]].<ref>[https://www.albayan.ae/sports/2008-08-22-1.668093 الشعب يعلن التعاقد مع كالون]</ref> He was released from his contract after a few months due to poor performances.

===Kallon===
In October 2009, he signed for his own club Kallon.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8313237.stm|title=Kallon returns home|date=18 October 2009|access-date=12 November 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=21 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021045508/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8313237.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Later career===
On 1 March 2010, he joined the Chinese championship, signing a one-year deal with [[Shaanxi Zhongjian Chanba F.C.|Shaanxi Chanba]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2010-03-01/21024864768.shtml|title=新季中超最大牌外援诞生 前国米中锋正式加盟陕西|date=1 March 2010|access-date=1 March 2010|publisher=sina|archive-date=4 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304181025/http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2010-03-01/21024864768.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8544943.stm|title=Sierra Leone's Mohammed Kallon moves to China|date=2 March 2010|access-date=11 March 2010|work=BBC|archive-date=5 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100305110937/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8544943.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Kallon made his [[Chinese Super League|CSL]] debut against [[Dalian Shide]] on 28 March and scored a [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty kick]] in 50th minute.<ref>[http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2010-03-28/17214909036.shtml 西北狼后防送礼卡隆中超首秀进球 陕西1比1平大连] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017100129/http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2010-03-28/17214909036.shtml |date=17 October 2011 }}{{in lang|zh}}</ref> He decided to leave after his contract was finished in December to be closer to his family.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/9319614.stm|title=Mohammed Kallon set to leave China|date=24 December 2010|access-date=11 February 2011|work=BBC|archive-date=27 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227082659/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/9319614.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, he moved to [[India]] and signed with [[I-League]] club [[Viva Kerala Football Club|Chirag United Kerala]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.footmercato.net/a7414245072531306916-que-devient-mohamed-kallon|title=Que devient Mohamed Kallon?|trans-title=What becomes of Mohamed Kallon?|language=fr|date=28 August 2011|access-date=26 November 2022|first=Khaled|last=Karouri|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426084658/https://www.footmercato.net/a7414245072531306916-que-devient-mohamed-kallon|archive-date=26 April 2023}}</ref>

He returned to Kallon ahead of the [[2012 CAF Confederation Cup]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17075543|title=Ghana legend's club pull out of Confederation Cup|date=17 February 2012|access-date=8 March 2012|work=BBC|archive-date=20 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220011635/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17075543|url-status=live}}</ref> and scored the winning goal that got them to the second round.

On 26 June 2014, was named the head coach of Sierra Leone u-17 side.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28035923|title=Mohamed Kallon takes charge of Sierra Leone Under-17s|date=26 June 2014|work=BBC Sport|access-date=16 May 2018|language=en-GB|archive-date=24 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024085508/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28035923|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 22 March 2016, he announced his retirement as a player, having last played in 2014.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35872914|title=Mohamed Kallon: Former Sierra Leone captain retires|date=22 March 2016|work=BBC Sport|access-date=16 May 2018|language=en-GB|archive-date=20 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520083835/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35872914|url-status=live}}</ref>

==International career==
Kallon became the youngest player to ever play for the Leone Stars  when he made his senior international debut for Sierra Leone at the age of fifteen in April 1995 against [[Congo national football team|Congo]] in the [[1996 African Cup of Nations]] qualifier in Freetown, in which he  scored the winner. At the age of 16, Kallon was the youngest player at the 1996 African Nations cup in South Africa. He scored one of his country's two goals as Sierra Leone defeated [[Burkina Faso]] 2–1 in their opening group match at the 1996 African Nations Cup, played at the [[Free State Stadium]] in [[Bloemfontein]], South Africa.

Since then, he is the key member of ''Leone Stars'' and active at [[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|1998]], [[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|2002]], [[2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|2006]] and [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|2010]] World Cup qualification. His most recent cap is on 9 February 2011 against [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria]] in a friendly. Kallon was the captain of the Sierra Leone national team but quit his captaincy after the team failed to qualify for the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]] and the [[2010 African Cup of Nations]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7673818.stm|title=Kallon quits Leone Stars captaincy|date=16 October 2008|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=9 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109205347/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7673818.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Club owner==
Kallon is the founder and owner of the Sierra Leonean club [[F.C. Kallon|Kallon]],<ref name=club/> currently playing in the [[Sierra Leone National Premier League]]. Kallon is one of the top clubs in the Sierra Leone National Premier League and play their home games at the National Stadium in Freetown. Previously known as Sierra Fisheries, Kallon acquired the club in 2002 for $30,000.<ref name=club>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/2205225.stm|title=Kallon buys own club|date=20 August 2002|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=23 May 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040523020145/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/2205225.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Kallon won the Sierra Leonean FA Cup, the Sierra Leone League title in 2006 and qualified for the African Champions League.

==Personal life==
Kallon is a [[Fundamentalism|devout]] [[Muslim]] and a member of the [[Mandingo people| Mandingo]] ethnic group. Kallon is married to his childhood girlfriend M'mah Mansaray. The couple celebrated their wedding at the [[Freetown Central Mosque]] in [[Freetown]] on 15 June 2002.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/africans_abroad/2053648.stm|title=Kallon celebrates his marriage|date=19 June 2002|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=26 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126210218/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/africans_abroad/2053648.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Kallon is the younger brother of former Sierra Leonean international footballers [[Kemokai Kallon]] and [[Musa Kallon]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/43652|title=World Cup Coach Appoints Technical Director|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916164133/http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/43652|website=Sierra Express Media|date=3 July 2012|archive-date=16 September 2013}}</ref>

==Mohamed Kallon Children's Foundation==
Apart from the Kalleone Group of Company, comprising a musical recording studio, radio station, newspaper, sportshops, old Skool night club, pharmacy and FC Kallon, Mohamed Kallon is also about to launch his charity foundation, the MKCF, Mohamed Kallon Children's Foundation, which will cater for the needs of hundreds of Sierra Leone's street children.<ref>[http://kalleonegroup.com/foundation/foundation.html Kallon Group Foundation]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Recently Mohamed Kallon told SierraEye Magazine that as a boy himself who grew up in the streets of Freetown he is moved by the state of Sierra Leone Street Children and want to do all he can to help them. The foundation has made headways recently meeting with the president and working together with the United Nations and other NGOs to provide help for several Sierra Leonean children and also aiding the HIV/AIDS sensitisation programme in Sierra Leone. x The setting up of MKCF by Kallon gained massive media coverage and even the BBC reported on it.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8128496.stm|title=Kallon offers hope|date=2 July 2009|access-date=16 May 2018|language=en-GB|archive-date=14 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614073625/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8128496.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Career statistics==

===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref name="NFT">{{NFT player|5918}}</ref><ref>{{WorldFootball.net|mohamed-kallon}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|National cup
!colspan="2"|League cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Other
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[AC Lugano|Lugano]] (loan)
|[[1995–96 Nationalliga A|1995–96]]
|[[Swiss Super League|Nationalliga A]]
|13||5||1||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||colspan="2"|—||14||5
|-
|[[1996–97 Nationalliga A|1996–97]]
|Nationalliga A
|19||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||19||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!32||6||1||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||colspan="2"|—||33||6
|-
|[[Bologna FC 1909|Bologna]] (loan)
|[[1997–98 Bologna FC 1909 season|1997–98]]
|[[Serie A]]
|2||0||4||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||6||2
|-
|[[Genoa CFC|Genoa]] (loan)
|[[1997–98 Serie B|1997–98]]
|[[Serie B]]
|26||10||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||26||10
|-
|[[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]] (loan)
|[[1998–99 Serie A|1998–99]]
|Serie A
|26||6||4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||30||6
|-
|[[Reggina Calcio|Reggina]]
|[[1999–2000 Reggina Calcio season|1999–2000]]
|Serie A
|30||11||7||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||37||14
|-
|[[Vicenza Calcio|Vicenza]]
|[[2000–01 Serie A|2000–01]]
|Serie A
|25||8||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||26||8
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[Inter Milan]]
|[[2001–02 Inter Milan season|2001–02]]
|Serie A
|29||9||1||0||colspan="2"|—||11||6||colspan="2"|—||41||15
|-
|[[2002–03 Inter Milan season|2002–03]]
|Serie A
|9||5||2||0||colspan="2"|—||6||0||colspan="2"|—||17||5
|-
|[[2003–04 Inter Milan season|2003–04]]
|Serie A
|5||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||2||0||colspan="2"|—||7||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!43||14||3||0||colspan="2"|—||19||6||colspan="2"|—||65||20
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[AS Monaco FC|Monaco]]
|[[2004–05 AS Monaco FC season|2004–05]]
|[[Ligue 1]]
|34||11||5||2||2||0||9||4||colspan="2"|—||50||17
|-
|[[2006–07 AS Monaco FC season|2006–07]]
|Ligue 1
|12||2||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||12||2
|-
|[[2007–08 AS Monaco FC season|2007–08]]
|Ligue 1
|2||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!48||13||5||2||2||0||9||4||colspan="2"|—||64||19
|-
|[[Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah)|Al-Ittihad]] (loan)
|[[2005–06 Saudi Premier League|2005–06]]
|[[Saudi Pro League|Saudi Premier League]]
|18||11||||||||||6||6||5||2||29||19
|-
|[[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]]
|[[2007–08 AEK Athens F.C. season|2007–08]]
|[[Super League Greece]]
|11||3||0||0||colspan="2"|—||2||0||colspan="2"|—||13||3
|-
|[[Al-Shaab CSC|Al-Shaab]]
|[[2008–09 UAE Pro League|2008–09]]
|[[UAE Pro League]]
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|-
|[[Shaanxi Zhongjian Chanba F.C.|Shaanxi Chanba]]
|[[2010 Chinese Super League|2010]]
|[[Chinese Super League]]
|21||7||||||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||21||7
|-
!colspan=3|Total
!282||89||25||7|||2||0||36||16||5||2||350||114
|}

===International===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name="NFT"/>
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="11"|[[Sierra Leone national football team|Sierra Leone]]
|1995||4||2
|-
|1996||5||1
|-
|1997||4||1
|-
|2000||3||0
|-
|2001||4||0
|-
|2003||4||1
|-
|2006||1||0
|-
|2007||3||0
|-
|2008||6||2
|-
|2011||2||0
|-
|2012||4||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!40!!7
|}

{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="font-size:90%"
|-
!colspan="7"|'''International appearances and goals'''
|-
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Result !! Goal !! Competition
|-
| 1. || 22 April 1995 || [[Brazzaville]], [[Republic of Congo]] || {{fb|CGO}} || 2–0 || 1 || [[1996 African Cup of Nations qualification]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/96a.html |title=RSSSF - African Nations Cup 1996 |access-date=2 February 2023 |archive-date=3 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203205812/https://rsssf.org/tables/96a.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| || 3 June 1995 || [[Freetown]], [[Sierra Leone]] || {{fb|NIG}} || 5–1 || 1 || 1996 African Cup of Nations qualification
|-
| || 15 January 1996 || [[Bloemfontein]], South Africa || {{fb|BFA}} || 2–1 || 1 || [[1996 African Cup of Nations]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/96a-det.html |title=RSSSF - African Nations Cup 1996 - Final Tournament Details |access-date=2 February 2023 |archive-date=25 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125034552/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/96a-det.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| || 18 January 1996 || Bloemfontein, South Africa || {{fb|ALG}} || 0–2 || 0 || 1996 African Cup of Nations
|-
| || 16 June 1996 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|BDI}} || 0–1 || 0 || [[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|1998 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| || 9 November 1996 || [[Rabat]], [[Morocco]] || {{fb|MAR}} || 0–4 || 0 || 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 11 January 1997 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|GAB}} || 1–0 || 0 || 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 5 April 1997 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|GHA}} || 1–1 || 0 || 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 26 April 1997 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|MAR}} || 0–1 || 0 || 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 17 August 1997 || [[Obuasi]], [[Ghana]] || {{fb|GHA}} || 2–0 || 1 || 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 22 April 2000 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|STP}} || 4–0 || 0 || [[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|2002 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| || 17 June 2000 || [[Lagos]], [[Nigeria]] || {{fb|NGA}} || 0–2 || 0 || 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 9 July 2000 || [[Accra]], Ghana || {{fb|GHA}} || 0–5 || 0 || 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 25 February 2001 || [[Paynesville, Liberia]] || {{fb|LBR}} || 0–1 || 0 || 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 10 March 2001 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|SUD}} || 0–2 || 0 || 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 21 April 2001 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|NGA}} || 1–0 || 0 || 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 14 July 2001 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|LBR}} || 0–1 || 0 || 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 8 June 2003 || [[Casablanca]], Morocco || {{fb|MAR}} || 0–1 || 0 || [[2004 African Cup of Nations qualification]]{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}
|-
| || 22 June 2003 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|EQG}} || 2–0 || 1 || 2004 African Cup of Nations qualification<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/04a.html |title=RSSSF - African Nations Cup 2004 |access-date=2 February 2023 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202210531/https://rsssf.org/tables/04a.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|  || 12 October 2003 || Brazzaville, Republic of Congo || {{fb|CGO}} || 0–1 || 0 || [[2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|2006 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| || 24 March 2007 || [[Lomé]], [[Togo]] || {{fb|TOG}} || 1–3 || 1 || [[2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/6491987.stm|title=Togo's Hawks fly high in Group 9|date=25 March 2007|access-date=10 August 2009|publisher=BBC|archive-date=6 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906191331/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/6491987.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|  || 17 October 2007 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|GNB}} || 1–0 || 0 || [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| || 17 November 2007 || [[Bissau]], [[Guinea-Bissau]] || {{fb|GNB}} || 0–0 || 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 1 June 2008 || [[Malabo]], [[Equatorial Guinea]] || {{fb|EQG}} || 0–2 || 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
|  || 14 June 2008 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|RSA}} || 1–0 || 1 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 21 June 2008 || [[Atteridgeville]], South Africa || {{fb|RSA}} || 0–0 || 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 6 September 2008 || Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|EQG}} || 2–1 || 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 11 October 2008 || [[Abuja]], Nigeria || {{fb|NGA}} || 1–4 || 0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| || 9 February 2011 || [[Lagos, Nigeria]] || {{fb|NGA}} || 1–2 || 0 || Friendly
|-
|}

:''Scores and results list Sierra Leone's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kallon goal.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Mohamed Kallon
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| style="text-align:center"|1 || 22 April 1995 || [[Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat]], [[Brazzaville]], Congo || {{fb|CGO}} || style="text-align:center"|1–0 || style="text-align:center"|2–0 || [[1996 African Cup of Nations qualification]]
|-
| style="text-align:center"|2 || 3 June 1995 || [[National Stadium (Sierra Leone)|National Stadium]], [[Freetown]], Sierra Leone || {{fb|Niger}} || style="text-align:center"|1–1 || style="text-align:center"|5–1 || 1996 African Cup of Nations qualification
|-
| style="text-align:center"|3 || 15 January 1996 || [[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]], South Africa || {{fb|Burkina Faso}} || style="text-align:center"|2–1 || style="text-align:center"|2–1 || [[1996 African Cup of Nations]]
|-
| style="text-align:center"|4 || 17 August 1997 || [[Accra Sports Stadium]], [[Accra]], Ghana || {{fb|Ghana}} || style="text-align:center"|2–0 || style="text-align:center"|2–0 || [[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|1998 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| style="text-align:center"|5 || 22 June 2003 || National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|Equatorial Guinea}} || style="text-align:center"|2–0 || style="text-align:center"|2–0 || [[2004 African Cup of Nations qualification]]
|-
| style="text-align:center"|6 || 30 April 2008 || [[Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex]], [[Paynesville, Liberia|Paynesville]], Liberia || {{fb|Liberia}} || style="text-align:center"|1–2 || style="text-align:center"|1–3 || Friendly
|-
| style="text-align:center"|7 || 14 June 2008 || National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone || {{fb|South Africa}} || style="text-align:center"|1–0 || style="text-align:center"|1–0 || [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF second round|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|}

==Honours==
'''Al-Ittihad'''
*[[AFC Champions League]]: [[2005 AFC Champions League|2005]]

'''Individual'''
*[[AFC_Champions_League#Top scorers|AFC Champions League Top Scorer]]: 2005
*[[Sierra Leone]] [[Order of the Rokel]]: 2013<ref name="SLEx" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{LFP|kallon-mohamed}}
* {{FIFA player|157641}}
* {{NFT player|5918}}

{{Sierra Leone squad 1996 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{AFC Champions League Top Scorer}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kallon, Mohamed}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Kenema]]
[[Category:Mende people]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Old Edwardians F.C. players]]
[[Category:Tadamon SC Sour players]]
[[Category:Spånga IS players]]
[[Category:FC Lugano players]]
[[Category:Bologna FC 1909 players]]
[[Category:Genoa CFC players]]
[[Category:Cagliari Calcio players]]
[[Category:AS Reggina 1914 players]]
[[Category:LR Vicenza players]]
[[Category:Inter Milan players]]
[[Category:AS Monaco FC players]]
[[Category:Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah) players]]
[[Category:AEK Athens F.C. players]]
[[Category:Al-Shaab CSC players]]
[[Category:F.C. Kallon players]]
[[Category:Beijing Chengfeng F.C. players]]
[[Category:Lebanese Premier League players]]
[[Category:Division 2 (Swedish football) players]]
[[Category:Swiss Super League players]]
[[Category:Serie A players]]
[[Category:Serie B players]]
[[Category:Ligue 1 players]]
[[Category:Saudi Pro League players]]
[[Category:Super League Greece players]]
[[Category:UAE Pro League players]]
[[Category:Chinese Super League players]]
[[Category:Sierra Leone men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1996 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:Association football coaches]]
[[Category:Houston Dynamo FC non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Lebanon]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Sweden]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Italy]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in France]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Greece]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in China]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Lebanon]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in China]]
[[Category:Sierra Leonean sportspeople in doping cases]]
[[Category:Doping cases in association football]]
[[Category:Chirag United Club Kerala players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in India]]